I. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to electrochemical energy device. The device is specifically concerned with the electrochemical energy developed from oxidizing aluminum in the electrochemical generation of current.
II. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,150 issued to Oomen et al discloses a primary cell in which potassium persulfate is used as a depolarizer and a stabilizer. According to Oomen, a preferred embodiment of the primary cell provides for a zinc anode in which the separator consists of a cation-exchanging diaphragm and the cathode (depolarizer mass) consists of a compressed mass mainly comprising pulverulent carbon., such as graphite or carbon felt. The cathode further includes a depolarizer and a stabilizer for use with a collector such as a rod or plate of graphite.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,745 issued to Catanzarite discloses an electrochemical cell having at least two parallel electrical paths for externally impressed current to flow through the cell. According to Catanzarite, one or more of the paths include substantially all of the reaction byproducts of the cell and at least one path exists that does not contain significant reaction byproducts. In a preferred embodiment, portions of the two electrodes are disclosed to have contiguous surfaces spaced from each other by a porous separator material with the surfaces chosen to allow plating dendritic growth from one electrode to the other at potential differences below that at which electrolysis occurs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,777 issued to Abraham et al discloses an electrochemical cell having a housing containing a sodium anode assembly, a cathode assembly and an electrolyte. Abraham discloses the electrolyte as a sodium ion conducting alkali metal aluminum tetrahalide. The cathode material is a transition metal chalcogenide, or a reaction product of the chalcogenide and the electrolyte, and is disclosed to be placed on a substrate in contact with the electrolyte.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,613 issued to Taylor et al discloses an electrochemical cell with a lithium anode having a metal-glass assembly placed thereon. The metal chambers of the assembly are designed as terminal conductors for the cell. According to Taylor, the glass electrically insulates the metal members from each other and is hermetically sealed to each of the metal members by glass-metal bonds.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,029 issued to Doddapaneni et al discloses a safety separator for use in high energy density non-aqueous electrochemical cells which is sufficiently porous to allow normal cell operation in the forward direction but which prevents voltage reversal in other cases. As disclosed by Doddapaneni, the separator may be a thin sheet of ceramic material but does not necessarily have to contact either the anode or the cathode. In operation, the separator forms an ion-permeable mechanical barrier separating the electrodes while allowing normal cell operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,551 also issued to Doddapaneni discloses an improved catalyst for use in high rate active metal non-aqueous cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,743 issued to Fujii et al discloses a secondary battery having a stack of secondary cells which comprise a separation membrane. As disclosed by Fujii, the membrane is produced by mixing a high molecular compound matrix material, an ion-exchange material, and a pore forming material. The mixture is then kneaded to extrude or roll the mixture in the form of a membrane. The pore forming material is then extruded.
A dry cell containing aluminum as the anode, manganese dioxide as the cathode with an electrolyte of aluminum chloride-ammonium perchlorate is described in Morehouse, Glicksman and Lozier, PROCEEDINGS OF THE IRE, pages 1462-83 (August, 1958).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,126, Lekuc describes a fuel cell utilizing a metal electrode as one electrode and a gaseous reactant such as oxygen is the oxidant with a liquid electrolyte bath therebetween.
The object of the present invention is to have a highly reactive metal on the electromotive force series, such as aluminum, readily available in a convenient form. The aluminum should remain available in a reactive state and would be ready for electrochemical reaction, and thereby generation of electrical energy.